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Gestures and the development of semantic representations in first and second language| old_uid | 4546 |
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| title | Gestures and the development of semantic representations in first and second language |
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| start_date | 2008/04/07 |
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| schedule | 10h-12h |
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| online | no |
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| summary | In language acquisition research gestures are traditionally mainly seen as a compensatory mode of expression for learners (Gullberg, 2006, 2008; Gullberg, de Bot, Volterra, in press). In this talk I will present a series of studies that explore whether child and adult language learners’gestures are mediated by their linguistic development, namely their understanding of verb meanings. The target domain is of that of placement, e.g. putting a cup on a table. Although gestures in this domain could neutrally depict placement as an imitation of the practical manual action,
adult native gesture use appears to be influenced by verb meanings and concomitant event construals. The first study shows how different placement verb semantics in Dutch and French is reflected in two cross-linguistically distinct patterns of gestural forms. The second study demonstrates how Dutch children's placement gestures change systematically as their understanding of placement verbs develops. Finally, the last study illustrates different gesture patterns in adult advanced Dutch learners of French depending on influences of the L1 and different degrees
of semantic reorganisation. Together the studies support the theoretical notion that speech and gesture form an integrated system as revealed (a) in robust crosslinguistic differences in gestural practices, which parallel differences in speech, and (b) in similar parallel differences across modalities in development. There is little support for the position that gestures chiefly form a compensatory support system either in child or adult learners. The integrated nature of the systems further means that gestures opens new possibilities for studying details of semantic representations which may go undetected in speech; and that they can shed light on the process of acquisition by revealing shifts in such representations. |
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| responsibles | Aroui |
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